Pubdate: Sun, 07 Dec 2003
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
Copyright: 2003 Lexington Herald-Leader
Contact:  http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240
Author: Tom Lasseter, David Stephenson
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BROKEN LAWS AND LIVES

Epilogue

Ralph Grundy, the man who wore a wire when buying an ounce of David 
Perkins' cocaine, is due to report to prison in January on a five-year 
sentence that he's appealing. He pleaded guilty to being a felon with a 
firearm and to selling cocaine.

Scott Sargent, the fiance of one of Perkins' sisters, served six months for 
delivering cocaine for Perkins. He now lives in Berea, works at the local 
Sonic drive-in, and talks about going to college.

Angela Miller, the driver of the car in Shelby County, is at the Alderson 
Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, W.Va., on a 12-month sentence for taking 
part in the cocaine ring. She declined repeated interview requests.

Dewayne Harris, Perkins' brother-in-law, is at the Laurel County Detention 
Center, awaiting sentencing on Dec. 18 for conspiring to sell cocaine and 
OxyContin, and for having firearms during those crimes. His wife, Edna, who 
faces sentencing for cocaine and OxyContin charges on the same day, visits 
him on Wednesday afternoons, when she speaks to him via telephone, on the 
other side of thick glass.

David Valentin pleaded guilty to selling OxyContin and to being a felon 
with a firearm. He began his sentence of 12 months and a day on Oct. 20 and 
is living at Beckley Federal Correctional Institution in Beaver, W.Va. 
Before going into custody, he moved his family members and their pit bull, 
Demon, to an undisclosed location, partially out of fear that they could be 
hurt by drug dealers from McCreary County.

Steve Gibson, who ran the garage in Pine Knot where Perkins and Valentin 
met, is to be sentenced this month on firearm charges and for running a 
chop shop. In a late September interview, he explained that he allowed drug 
dealing in his garage because he was working as an FBI informant. The FBI 
would not confirm or deny his story, but a former sheriff's deputy said he 
introduced Gibson to an FBI agent.

After an initial interview, Gibson declined further comment. His lawyer, he 
said, told him to be polite but firm on this point.

Jerry Strunk, who brought Valentin to the chop shop, is due to report to 
prison on Dec. 17 for selling OxyContin. In the meantime, he and his wife 
are helping to take care of the two girls his daughter and Valentin had 
together.

David Perkins is in federal prison in Manchester. He has a release date of 
Feb. 14, 2010.

Perkins drove to prison on Oct. 30, and didn't say much as he walked 
through the parking lot. The razor wire glistened in the sun, and the walls 
behind it were tall.

He'd eaten his last meal as a free man at the local Wendy's: a double 
hamburger and fries.

On the ride over, Perkins said he had accepted his fate, the same as 
thousands before him who'd driven the same road.

Perkins, a son of rural Kentucky, had one final observation. "Boy, they're 
building the hell out of these federal prisons," he said. "I guess they've 
got to, to keep doing what they're doing."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman